TOKYO – A Japanese salmon species thought to be extinct for 70 years is alive and well in a lake near Mount Fuji.

TOKYO – A Japanese salmon species thought to be extinct for 70 years is alive and well in a lake near Mount Fuji.

The world was recently rocked with the news that a once thought extinct species of fish had been virtually reborn. Sources now say that another species of fish has also come back from the dead.

Early this week scientists discovered a species of salmon in Japan that had previously been deemed extinct. The species had been presumed extinct for over 70 years.

The Black Kokanee, or “Kunimasu” in Japanese, was written off as dead in the 1940’s, but recently the species was found in Lake Saiko, about 310 miles from what was once thought to be their native lake.

Lake Saiko is in a region popular with tourists for its Fuji views and hot spring baths. “If things go our way, we should have a Kunimasu petting zoo up and running in no time,” said Deputy Director of Tourism, Akimoto Shinji.

In addition to the finding in Japan, another assumed to be extinct species of fish was found living in the eastern part of California. Mary Little, of Tecopa, CA, recently found a school of Tecopa Pupfish living under the home of her recently deceased mother. Cheryl Swanson, Mary’s mother, suffered from the fast growing affliction that is sweeping the US, hoarding.

“I was moving some boxes form one of the rooms and I noticed that the floor boards were missing and that a great deal of water had accumulated below,” said Mary. “I looked a little harder and I noticed some fish swimming in the water.” Mary decided to show them to her brother who she knew was really into fish.

“I was flabbergasted at what she presented to me,” exclaimed George Swanson amateur Ichthyologist and brother. “I thought that those guys were long gone back in like 1938!”

The Tecopa Pupfish had once flourished in the region until many of them were wiped out due to the construction of canals and bathhouses in the neighboring hot springs.

“We heard about the fish petting zoo in Japan and decided that we should start our own as well before fish petting zoos start popping up all over,” stated the two siblings

Plans to develop the “Cheryl Swanson Memorial Tecopa Pupfish Wildlife Reserve and Petting Zoo” in the Swanson home are currently underway. Neighbor, Chuck Finebar intends to start charging people to park on his lawn that want to see the fish next door.